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Goodbye,
Microsoft Word – Hello, Google Docs! By James Martell If you’re like most Windows users, you probably rely on Microsoft Word to create documents. I was no different – in fact, I started using Word when I bought my first computer back in 1996.
I used my copy of Word religiously through to 2003, when I bought a copy of Windows Office that upgraded me to the 2003 version – and although Microsoft Word is a great program that gets the job done, I’ve had trouble syncing up documents between computers. It’s actually the only challenge I’ve encountered with the program, after creating a countless number of articles, business plans, e-books, and website plans. Over the years, my kids have even used Word to develop book reports, essays, and other school projects. Of course, Arlene and I rely heavily on word processing for our business lives, too. When I’m working, I usually use my desktop computer at home and my laptop when I’m out and about – like I am now. As I write this article, I’m sitting in a little local neighborhood pub called SawBucks, which offers high-speed Internet and gives me a chance to get out of the house. It’s nice to work from home, but not all the time. The only problem with setting up shop outside of the house is that I don’t always have access to the files and documents stored on my desktop computer. Frankly, I’d like to be able to access my documents from any computer with an Internet connection. I’ve tried a few of the solutions out there that claim to help "sync" up different versions of documents, but these ‘non-solutions’ (as I buddy of mine would call it) are a little too cumbersome for my taste. And really, doesn’t the whole idea also seem a bit archaic?
Google offers software that’s very similar to Microsoft Word; the only difference is that Word lives on my hard drive and Google Docs works completely online. This way, I can upload my documents to Google Docs and access them from anywhere. Best of all, I no longer need to sync up my files. For example, I can work on this article on my laptop, head home, and continue working from my desktop. I sign in to my Google account and there it is. It’s a real solution that is simple – and it costs absolutely nothing. That’s right, did I mention Google Docs is FREE? (Sorry Bill) With its budget-friendly capabilities and ease of use, there’s no excuse not to sign up! You can learn more about Google Docs by visiting the website at http://docs.google.com. All the best,
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It
was also around this time that I registered my first
domain name, opened up my first e-mail account, and
became familiar with the Internet. Using Netscape and
a 14.4 modem, I patiently waited for each page to load
through dial-up access.
